The Painted Veil Page #3

Only neighbor, I'm afraid.

Last one standing.

And Watson was the missionary

living here?

Yes. Nice fellow. American.

Lovely family.

I'll show you their graves tomorrow,

if you like.

How kind of you.

I hope your journey wasn't too arduous.

We've been traveling for two weeks.

Two weeks?

- What did you do, swim?

- No, we didn't come upriver.

- Came overland.

- Whatever for?

Well, we wanted to take in

a bit of the countryside.

Get a bit of sun. Didn't we, darling?

Anyone for a cocktail?

Here's luck.

I was told I might get some help

from the local army officer.

Colonel Yu, is it?

Good luck with him.

He's not fond of us British.

Listen, I'll warn you,

things are pretty dicey even out here.

I'm afraid that if the cholera doesn't get us,

the nationalists might.

Tried to get those nuns to go

but they refused.

They all want to be martyrs, damn them.

Well, why have you stayed?

I was posted here. Simple as that.

I was shocked to hear you'd volunteered.

Opportunity for research.

I couldn't pass it up.

Yes. And you?

I don't suppose you've come

to Mei-tan-fu for the research.

My husband's the scientist.

Indeed.

Did you have any reaction

to the inoculation?

- You have been inoculated?

- Yes, of course.

No guarantee.

The Watsons were inoculated...

...and it didn't do them much good.

Oh, have you brought

any gramophone records?

- No, unfortunately not.

- Pity.

I'm sick of all mine.

Listen. What's all that?

Across the river.

Trying to frighten off the spirit of death.

I'm going to town in the morning,

have a look around.

I expect you'll want to rest.

I can inoculate you in the evening.

- Will you be doing yourself?

- No, I don't think so.

- You needn't bother with me, then.

- Suit yourself.

Tell me, Walter...

...is it a long, drawn-out affair,

dying of cholera?

No. All of the fluid goes out of you

in the first 36 hours.

You die of dehydration, actually.

So it's messy and very painful.

But it is relatively quick.

Good night.

It's rather unfortunate.

I thought perhaps that you

and your wife...

...you'd like to take precautions

in case you'd have to leave this place.

Do you think all this is really necessary?

You can see the picture.

I thought you'd like to put your wife's

mind at rest from this situation.

This is Colonel Yu.

He's the KMT's man.

He's posting one of his men here

at the house.

Am I a prisoner?

No. It was Mr. Waddington's idea,

actually.

- He feels we should take precautions.

- Precautions against what?

A few days ago,

British troops opened fire...

...on a group of Chinese workers

who were demonstrating in Shanghai.

Eleven were killed.

We've only just heard.

Those were plastered around the town

last night.

I shouldn't worry too much.

Even the nationalists are

afraid of cholera.

Do they take that water from the well?

Can I see where they get

their drinking water?

Well, for starters, we've got to

stop people from using this well...

...until I can test it.

Do you understand?

Yes, I understand, Dr. Fane.

I received my military training

in Moscow.

If you don't like English,

we can speak Russian.

English will be fine. Thank you.

Here. You have seen cholera before,

yes, doctor?

- At the laboratory, of course.

- No, I mean in a patient.

No. I haven't had the chance, actually.

Well, I'm not a clinician.

Did they not tell you?

I'm an infectious-disease specialist.

- Shall we?

- After you, doctor.

No, it's all right. I'm all right.

All right, let's go.

I don't need you.

Go back.

Mr. Waddington?

I'm looking for Mr. Waddington.

Wait here. All right?

Hello?

Mr. Waddington?

Mrs. Fane?

Good morning.

What can I do for you, Mrs. Fane?

I found a record for you.

Stravinsky. Very modern. Thank you.

Was there something else?

Yes. I was wondering if you could tell me

when the post comes through.

It's for Shanghai.

Unfortunately, since the cholera...

...the cowards won't venture

past the river port.

But leave it with me.

A local trader I know is making

the trip on Friday.

Townsend.

- Charlie Townsend?

- Yes.

He's an acquaintance of my husband.

- Do you know him?

- Years ago.

We were both assigned to

the consulate in Shanghai.

Charming wife.

Yes. They're very popular, aren't they?

He'd made a science of popularity.

- So you know his family?

- Well, well enough.

I like Dorothy.

Yes, I understand they're quite

the devoted couple.

Oh, he had his little flirtations.

Nothing serious.

I once heard her say

she found it most unflattering...

...that the women who fell for her husband

were so consistently second-rate.

Well, enjoy the record.

Mrs. Fane?

The letter.

Right.

Yes, it suddenly occurred to me

that Friday's much too late.

Thanks all the same.

Can you pass the salt, please?

I'm sorry, did you say something?

Could you pass the salt?

Thank you.

So this is how it's going to be.

Passing her evenings in silence.

Walter.

Walter.

I wonder if you haven't gone insane.

- She's not cooking it.

- Leave it.

Leave it.

Thank you.

Are you looking to kill yourself?

Town well's contaminated.

This is dirty. It's dirty.

What?

Mr. Waddington?

Mrs. Fane? Mrs. Fane?

Mrs. Fane?

Come away. Come away.

What's the matter with Te-Ming?

You have the dead man on you.

They're very superstitious, aren't they?

She's lost three children and a husband

to the cholera.

So you can hardly blame her.

You know, this is no place for a woman.

When they telegraphed me that

you were coming out, I was astonished.

I imagined you might be

a grim-visaged old nurse...

...with thick legs and a moustache.

I came into the bungalow

and there you were...

...frail and tired and very unhappy.

It was a long journey.

But you're unhappy now.

And it occurred to me that you

and your husband might be madly in love...

...and you'd simply refused

to stay behind.

- That's a reasonable explanation.

- Yes.

But it's not the right one.

Do you know what I find strange?

That your husband should never

look at you.

He looks at the walls, the floor,

his shoes.

He has a great deal on his mind.

Yes, I'm sure of it.

Dr. Fane?

Dr. Fane?

Oh, God.

All right.

What are you doing?

Martini?

Yes?

I'm the bearer of a message

from the Mother Superior.

Who?

The nun who supervises

the orphanage and the hospital.

I didn't know she was aware

of my existence.

Well, apparently,

Mr. Waddington has spoken of you.

She would very much like to meet

the loving, loyal wife...

...of the compassionate Dr. Fane.

Right. Then I must prepare myself

for the charade.

She does understand if you...

...don't want to venture into

the center of the epidemic.

If you're not afraid, why should I be?

I forgot.

Walter? Oh, my God.

You're drunk.

Don't expect anything grand.

They're miserably poor.

Hello.

It is a great pleasure to make

the acquaintance...

...of the wife of

our good and brave doctor.

Lovely to meet you too.

Mr. Waddington.

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